| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to postponement of jury service in certain counties. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 62, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 62.0144 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 62.0144. POSTPONEMENT OF JURY SERVICE IN CERTAIN |
|
|
COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a county with a |
|
|
population of at least 1.4 million and less than 2 million. |
|
|
(b) A person summoned for jury service may request a |
|
|
postponement of the person's initial appearance for jury service. |
|
|
The person may request the postponement by contacting the clerk of |
|
|
the court, or the clerk's designee, in person, in writing, or by |
|
|
telephone before the date on which the person is summoned to appear. |
|
|
(c) On receipt of a request under Subsection (b), the clerk |
|
|
of the court or the clerk's designee shall grant the person a |
|
|
postponement if: |
|
|
(1) the person has not been granted a postponement in |
|
|
that county during the two-year period preceding the date on which |
|
|
the person is summoned to appear; and |
|
|
(2) the person and the clerk or the clerk's designee |
|
|
determine a substitute date on which the person will appear for jury |
|
|
service that is not later than six months after the date on which |
|
|
the person was originally summoned to appear. |
|
|
(d) A person who receives a postponement under Subsection |
|
|
(c) may request subsequent postponements in the manner described by |
|
|
Subsection (b). The clerk of the court or the clerk's designee may |
|
|
approve a subsequent postponement if the clerk or the clerk's |
|
|
designee determines that the person has a legitimate reason for |
|
|
requesting the postponement. Before the clerk or the clerk's |
|
|
designee may grant the subsequent postponement, the person and the |
|
|
clerk or the clerk's designee must determine a substitute date on |
|
|
which the person will appear for jury service that is not later than |
|
|
six months after the date on which the person was to appear after |
|
|
the later of: |
|
|
(1) the postponement under Subsection (c); or |
|
|
(2) the most recent postponement granted under this |
|
|
subsection. |
|
|
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|
|
to a person summoned to appear for jury service who is required to |
|
|
appear on or after the effective date of this Act. A person |
|
|
summoned to appear for jury service who is required to appear before |
|
|
the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on |
|
|
the date the person is required to appear, and the former law is |
|
|
continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |